Letter VII. If you are LDS (Mormon) and haven't read Oliver Cowdery's Letter VII, you need to read it during 2018 to understand Church history and the Book of Mormon. This blog discusses the role the letter has played in our understanding of Church history.

"Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted."

Let's consider how this applies to the question of Cumorah."Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine."

This is axiomatic, given the variety of statements Church leaders make, ranging from formal addresses in General Conference and formal written statements to off-hand comments to associates or statements in talks to specific groups."A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church."

Notice the distinction between isolated statements by one Church leader compared with multiple statements by multiple leaders.

"With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications."

Let's consider this in light of Letter VII's teachings about Cumorah.
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In 1835, when Letter VII was published, Joseph Smith was President of the Church and Oliver Cowdery was Assistant President.
Many people today don't know what the Assistant President was because it was discontinued after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, so let's look at what it entailed.

Joseph ordained Oliver as Assistant President in December, 1834. Notes from the meeting explain:

"The office of Assistant President is to assist in presiding over the whole Church, and to officiate in the absence of the President, according to his rank and appointment, viz: President Cowdery, first; President Rigdon Second, and President Williams Third, as they were severally called. The office of this priesthood is also to act as spokesman, taking Aaron for an example. The virtue of the above priesthood is to hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven or of the Church militant."

Later, on April 3, 1836, Joseph and Oliver, together, as President and Assistant President of the Church, received the keys of the gathering of Israel and the keys of this dispensation from Moses, Elijah, Elias, and the Lord Himself. (D&C 110)

In January, 1841, Joseph ordained Hyrum Smith to the same position, pursuant to D&C 124:94-5, which gives an additional explanation of the role Oliver fulfilled as Assistant President:

"And from this time forth I appoint unto him [Hyrum] that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph; That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery."

Here is another explanation of the office: "As holder of the keys of the priesthood, the Assistant President of the Church was intended to be the person who would succeed to the presidency of the church upon the death of Smith.[Bruce R. McConkie (1966), Mormon Doctrine (2d ed., 1966, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft) p. 56.] The Assistant President ranked higher than the counselors in the First Presidency and the President and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.[Bruce R. McConkie (1966), Mormon Doctrine (2d ed., 1966, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft) p. 56.] Like the members of the First Presidency and the Twelve, the Assistant President was accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator."

When LDS intellectuals tell you to disbelieve what Joseph and Oliver wrote in Letter VII about Cumorah, they are telling you to disbelieve the ordained President and Assistant President of the Church.

But that's not all.

Look again at what the Church's explanation says:

"With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications."

Not only did Joseph and Oliver counsel together when they wrote these historical letters, but Joseph saw that the letters were "consistently proclaimed in official Church publications." The letters were first published in the Messenger and Advocate. Then Joseph gave them to Don Carlos to publish in the Times and Seasons. He gave express permission (along with Sidney Rigdon) to Benjamin Winchester to publish them in the Gospel Reflector. The Pratt brothers published excerpts of them in the Millennial Star and other pamphlets. Joseph's brother William published them in the Prophet (an 1844 Church newspaper in New York City). The letters were published again in the Improvement Era after the Saints moved to Utah.Letter VII originated with the First Presidency and was consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. Remember this when LDS intellectuals try to persuade you to disbelieve Letter VII.

Now, the conclusion of the explanation of Church doctrine.

"This doctrine resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted."

The Pearl of Great Price contains an excerpt from Letter I.

Letter VII itself is not included in the standard works, but it was written by the First Presidency in 1835 to explain an important point about the Book of Mormon; i.e., the specific location of the Hill Cumorah. Joseph and Oliver were responding to anti-Mormon claims that the Book of Mormon was fiction. They wrote from their personal experience and knowledge. The statements in Letter VII were republished so often and they are so specific and detailed that their original meaning cannot be distorted, although LDS intellectuals try to do so by claiming Joseph and Oliver were merely ignorant speculators who misled the Church about the location of Cumorah.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery wrote Letter VII, they were responding to critics who claimed the Book of Mormon was fiction, derived from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spaulding.

They knew the best way to respond to critics was by citing facts. They made sure there was no question about which hill in New York was Cumorah. They also made sure there was no question about the location of the final battles of the Nephites and Jaredites, or the location of Mormon's depository.

They explained at length that there is one Hill Cumorah and it is in New York.

Here are excerpts from Letter VII.
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You
are acquainted with the mail road from Palmyra, Wayne Co. to Canandaigua,
Ontario Co. N. Y. and also, as you pass from the former to the latter place,
before arriving at the little village of Manchester, say from three to four, or
about four miles from Palmyra, you pass a large hill on the east side of the
road. Why I say large, is, because it is as large perhaps, as any in that
country. To a person acquainted with
this road, a description would be unnecessary, as it is the largest and rises
the highest of any on that route. The north end rises quite sudden until it
assumes a level with the more southerly extremity, and I think I may say an
elevation higher than at the south a short distance, say half or three fourths
of a mile. As you pass toward Canandaigua it lessens gradually until the
surface assumes its common level, or is broken by other smaller hills or
ridges, water courses and ravines. I
think I am justified in saying that this is the highest hill for some distance
round, and I am certain that its appearance, as it rises so suddenly from a
plain on the north, must attract the notice of the traveller as he passes by.

At about one mile west rises another
ridge of less height, running parallel with the former, leaving a beautiful
vale between. The soil is of the first quality for
the country, and under a state of cultivation, which gives a prospect at once
imposing, when one reflects on the fact,
that here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both
the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed.

By
turning to the 529th and 530th pages of the Book of Mormon, you will read
Mormon's account of the last great struggle of his people, as they were
encamped round this hill Cumorah. (It is printed Camorah, which is an error.) In this valley fell the remaining strength
and pride of a once powerful people, the Nephites—once so highly favored of the
Lord, but at that time in darkness, doomed to suffer extermination by the hand
of their barbarous and uncivilized brethren. From the top of this hill, Mormon,
with a few others, after the battle, gazed with horror upon the mangled remains
of those who, the day before, were filled with anxiety, hope, or doubt. A
few had fled to the South, who were hunted down by the victorious party, and
all who would not deny the Savior and his religion, were put to death. Mormon
himself, according to the record of his son Moroni, was also slain.

But
a long time previous to this national disaster it appears from his own account,
he foresaw approaching destruction. In fact, if he perused the records of his
fathers, which were in his possession, he could have learned that such would be
the case. Alma, who lived before the coming of the Messiah, prophesies this. He
however, by Divine appointment, abridged from those records, in his own style
and language, a short account of the more important and prominent items, from
the days of Lehi to his own time, after which he deposited, as he says, on the
529th page, all the records in this same hill, Cumorah, and after gave his
small record to his son Moroni, who, as appears from the same, finished it,
after witnessing the extinction of his people as a nation....

This hill, by the
Jaredites, was called Ramah: by it, or around it, pitched the famous army of
Coriantumr their tent. Coriantumr was the last king of the Jaredites. The opposing army were to the west, and in
this same valley, and near by. From day to day, did that mighty race spill
their blood, in wrath, contending as it were, brother against brother, and father
against son. In this same spot, in full
view from the top of this same hill, one may gaze with astonishment upon the
ground which was twice covered with the dead and dying of our fellowmen....

In this vale lie
commingled, in one mass of ruin, the ashes of thousands, and in this vale were
destined to be consumed the fair forms and vigorous systems of tens of
thousands of the human race—blood mixed with blood, flesh with flesh, bones with
bones, and dust with dust!

Friday, November 3, 2017

"He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a history of the aborigines of this country, and said they were literal descendants of Abraham. He represented them as once being an enlightened and intelligent people, possessing a cerrect [correct] knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother's privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain, and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record."
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Let's break it down a bit.

He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers,

[Oliver provided a detailed list and analysis of the verses Moroni quoted.]

and also gave a history of the aborigines of this country,

["this country" could refer to the immediate vicinity or the nation in which he spoke to Joseph; i.e., the United States. This is the same language Joseph used in the Wentworth letter.]

and said they were literal descendants of Abraham.

["literal" suggests there should be DNA evidence]

He represented them as once being an enlightened and intelligent people, possessing a cerrect [correct] knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place,

[It was "written and deposited" near Joseph's house, meaning Mormon and Moroni lived in the vicinity when they abridged the record.]

and that it was our brother's privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain, and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record.

Original Letter VII

The earliest version of Letter VII available today is in the July 1835 Messenger and Advocate, published in Kirtland. You can see it by clicking here. Go to issue 10, JULY 1835, and scroll to Letter VII.

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